SIEWG Meeting Minutes

September 12, 2013

Meeting Info

Date: Thursday, September 12, 2013

Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm (EDT)

Virtual via Adobe Connect at

Audio Bridge: 202-694-2926

Meeting ID: 996 660 936

Agenda

  • Interact Registration
  • Interact Posting
  • Known Issues
  • Interfaces and Extracts Release
  • Release Management
  • UTF-8
  • Open Discussion

Interact Registration

Please register on Interact (

•New posting discussion capability

•Check the site often for the most recent updates

Instructions to Complete Registration:

  1. Register at obtain a username/password. This alone will not give access to the SIEWG Group.
  2. When your User ID is established, forward your User ID nd you will be given access to the group
  3. Once you have been granted access, you will receive an email confirmation.

NOTE: SIEWG members that have not registered in Interact by October 1 will be removed from the SIEWGmailing list. There are currently 100+ SIEWG members who have not contacted us with their Interact user ID.

Interact Posts

We’ve added a new capability for SIEWG members to post discussions on Interact!

Known Issues

  • IRS TIN Matching New Formats
  • Certain users are unable to create a Data Access Request because Justification Reason character limitation (500 characters)
  • System Accounts are not being requested to reset passwords after 365 Days
  • Infrequently, the Org Type is blank in the legacy and to-be extracts
  • AbilityOne business type sometimes will not be moved forward on an updated record.
  • To-Be Public Extract is not being posted due to DUNS issue.

Question: Rob Allen: Is the TIN issue in legacy?

Response:The TIN issue has been resolved.

Question: Rob Allen: Have all bad TINS been corrected through change transactions?

Question: Morgan Glines (NIST): Would the TIN matching issue prevent a vendor registration renewal from coming through in the daily (legacy CCR format) files? I just opened a couple tickets with FSD for that…

Was that around 7/23- 7/26 timeframe?

Question: Rob Allen: Did we receive updates wherethe TIN was incorrect?

Response: You did not receive any incorrect TINs....for 2 days, you were not getting any activations

Question:Rob Allen: Why no announcements of the TIN issue

Response:

Here is the sequence of events with the TIN issue:

On 9/3 the IBM team reported some issues with the TINMatch file from IRS. Here are the highlights of the issues:

  1. File name is different. (Old file name: SAM_IRSTINMatch_SAMRequest08272013.txt.100147122644.txt, new file name: TM_Bulk_731_TINs_SAR.txt.500100001967.txt)
  1. Line delimiter has changed (Missing carriage return)
  1. The file has an additional delimiter (;)
  • As a result the response graph failed and the processing was slightly delayed on the morning of September 3rd.
  • SAM team modified the file to match the expected format and the file has been consumed by SAMIRSinterface.
  • SAM team opened a ticket withIRS.

Comment:Lisa Romney: Any issue like the TIN issue MUST be communicated with the CCB. Interact is not the official way of notifying the Agency's lead for IAE.

Response: Agreed. We will make every effort to improve communications with both SIEWG and CCB.TIN matching issue summary sent to Nancy for further distribution to CCB.

Question: Glen Kinder: For Data Access Requests, SAM doesn't recognize the USDA Forest Service email domain of (fs.fed.us). Is this being addressed?

Response:We are aware of this issue and it has a Rational defect number. It has not been identified as a defect that is going into the November build.

Question: Keith Moore: What are considered System Accounts? (SFTP)

Response: System accounts would be any of you who are using a contract writing system to download files.

July SAM Release

Recap: SAM V5.0: Entity Management and Exclusions web services, Daily and Monthly files were released in July.

Interfaces Scheduled for 11/22 Build (Earlier if specified). Testing schedules will be provided as dates are finalized:

• D&B Monitoring Deployment

• Exclusions Web Service

• DAASC TPN Interface

• FPDS/SAM Hierarchy Interface

• SBA Profile Interface Updates (Scheduled for October)

Other:

• HTML Version of Web Service documentation (currently targeting the end of November)

Question:Lisa Romney: Excuse me - why hasn't the DAASC TPN interface been discussed with me before scheduling? This will require resources on our end.

Response: We will contact you separately to coordinate.

Question:AJ 2: Do we have a specific date for retiring the legacy web services in July 2014?

Comment:Susan Haskew: Recommend end of July for retirement date due to late notice of the final version being available

Comment: Sue Williams: The problem we have with that date is it's very close to the Treasury mandate cutoff

Response: Since this seems to be a recurring question, the final date has been set to Aug 1st, 2014 at 9:00 PM, EDT.

Question:Gregg Rovinsky: are the “To Be” extracts considered final as of now?

Response: Yes, we care calling the“To Be”V5.0, and will not be making any changes to V5.0 without vetting them through the CCB and communicating with this group.

Question:Rob Allen: If I submitted access to sensitive, I should be able to download sensitive data and still be able to download Legacy Proprietary files, correct?

Response: That is correct. If you have requested the role "Sensitive Entity Management Data Viewer" then that would give you access to the sensitive extracts once it is approved. It is a separate role from the legacy extracts.

Question:Keith Moore: Is there an updated Extracts Interface Specification available on Interact?

Response: Yes, on interact.gsa.gov on the left had side you will see documentation for the Extracts and Web Services v5.0.

Question:Erich Lutz (USAID): where on interact are the sample extract files?

Response: The SAM Extracts V5.0 can be found on the SIEWG Interact site under “Content/Documents”.

Question:John Hawkins (DOI): Is there an updated Data Dictionary available?

Response: The SAM Functional Data Dictionary can be found on the SIEWG Interact site under “Content/Documents”.

Question:Rob Allen: How are we notified that we can now get sensitive data extracts?

Response:When the role that you have requested is approved, you should be notified via email.

Question:Doug Cook: Are there sample extract files in the To-Be or SAM format on Interact?

Response:The sample data files will be posted on interact.gsa.gov on the left hand navigation along with the documentation for Web Service and Extracts v5.0

Question:Rob Allen: I reported a missing field Mail to POC in the 4.9, if added, then sample extracts need to be re-created

Response:If any data element needs to be added to the actual output of the extracts, we will provide updated sample files as well as documentation.

Question:Keith Moore: The SAM Extracts V5.0 document is not the same as the Extracts Interface Specification dated April 30, 2012. Is there an updated Extracts Interface Specification available?

Response: We do not have an updated Extracts Policy or Specifications document. If you see any errors or omissions, please bring it to our attention.

Question:Erich Lutz (USAID): the zip file contains the layout files, not sample extracts

Question:John Hawkins (DOI): As extract formats change, will the extract fields in the previous versions be made available for a specified period of time afterwards to allow us time to update our interfaces?

Response: Yes, the legacy extracts and web services will be available until August 1st, 2014.

Release Management

•SAM legacy Web Services and Extracts will be maintained until July, 2014

•SAM incorporated SIEWG feedback on data formats and released V5.0 in August

•No major changes are planned for V5.0 web services and extracts

•SAM team will maintain an issue/change log

•Update the documentation on a monthly basis while we are still making corrections to the document.

•Quarterly updates as needed after that.

UTF-8

•The V5.0 Extracts are in UTF-8

• Proposed timeframe before 2Q FY14

•Mappings currently in use to be posted on Interact

•Meeting to be scheduled:

•Go over in depth how many columns are affected by this change

•Determine a period for SIEWG input on UTF-8 mappings

Question: Rob Allen: Is UTF-8 something we vote on, as all are not ready for this?How can UTF-8 be in web services without it being approved?

Response:UTF-8 must be briefed to the IAE CCB prior to implementation. The IAE CCB is the voting body regarding changes to SAM; however, there will be opportunities for SIEWG participation and input.

Comment: Cynthia Schell: This needs to go to the CCB as well.

Comment: Lisa Romney: agreed with Cynthia - the UTF-8 item needs to be briefed to the CCB before any decisions are made.

Response: Agreed, the IAE CCB will be fully briefed and kept informed of progress.

Comment: Susan Haskew: Keep in mind we have Legacy systems that don't change rapidly - 6-12 months out

Response: Understood.

Comment: Rob Allen: At a minimum, all should be converted to V5.0 first, then discuss UTF-8

Response: While we agree that all should be converted to V5.0 prior to implementation of UTF-8, there is no reason that discussion and planning meetings cannot occur prior to the July 2014 deadline.

Question: Rob Allen: Will we receive meeting invites?

Response: Yes.

Open Discussion

Question:Cynthia Schell: Could you set up regular meetings for the SIEWG?

Response: Yes, from now on, the regular SIEWG monthly meeting will be held on the 4th Thursday of each month, starting October 24 at 2:00 PM.

Question:Doug Cook: There was a question and answer on interact specifying that PSC Codes would have possible enumeration values of Y or N. I know NAICS Codes have Y, N, or E for Small Business. What do PSC Code values of Y or N indicate?

Response:If you are looking at the mapping document, it says that there is going to be a yes no for PSC but this is an error in the extract mapping. I believe that we inadvertently copy/pasted the NAICS code string enumeration values in the PSC code field. The PSC code string does not contain any Y/N answers. The PSC code string is simply a concatenated list of the PSC codes that the user selects in the registration.

Question:Rob Allen: Will the Data Dictionary be expanded to explain values, rather than just indicating values?

Comment: Lisa Romney: Rob's idea is a great one. Yes - definitely need the title of the business type code/

Response:That is something we can look into.

Question:Lisa Romney: Adam - where did you say the titles were?

If you look in the XML documentation, there is a tab called DataElementMapping and tab “SAM String”

Question:Connie Coffee-Oracle: Can you please give an overview of what will be included in the FPDS/SAM Hierarchy Interface?

Response: The FPDS/SAM Hierarchy interface is a custom interface between FPDS and SAM which will keep SAM up to date with any offices that are added or updated in FPDS. This interface will enable hierarchy maintainers to simply update their office information in FPDS, as the information will then be given to SAM from FPDS. The only offices that need to be created in SAM after this interface is created would be non-procurement offices that would not need to exist in FPDS.

Question: Cynthia Schell: No - hierarchy extracted from FPDS included inactive entities

Response: We received a data dump of both active and inactive records.

Comment: Lisa Romney: Just to be clear - the FPDS/SAM extract is only internal within IAE - not for external use.

Question:Keith Moore: Is there an updated "Entity Management Extracts Policy – v1.0" document posted on Interact?

Response:The Entity Management Extracts Policy V1.0 is the latest version. If we could get a list of the errors I would be happy to make those changes once they are reviewed and approved by GSA.

Question:Rob Allen: If we have been given sensitive extracts, can we start downloading files in 5.0 formats now?

Question: Rob Allen: When can agency go live with V5.0?

Response: The files are production files now; you can use them at any time.

Question:Cynthia Schell: No - hierarchy extracted from FPDS included inactive entities

Response: We received a data dump of both active and inactive records.

Question:Gregg Rovinsky: Is there a default way of notifying users on those days when EM extracts are posted to the FTP site late?

Response:The interact site is our default way of notifying users when EM and other extracts are posted late.

Question:Rob Allen: Can you send all chat items with answers to our e-mail or post on site

Response: Yes, we will post them on Interact and send email notifications

Question:Laura Mealiea: your earlier slide said the V5.0 extract was UTF-8. Is that only the documentation, or the actual files on SFTP?

Response: Right now, the SFTP files are not in UTF-8. The UTFmatter that we were talking about is just proposed changes and there are no plans to move to anything before we seek SIEWG input and run the changes through the CCB process. The current proposed date is 2nd quarter of 2014 and this is subject to SIEWG input and CCB approval. Pam updated the UTF-8 slide and has reposted it on Interact.

Question:Morgan Glines (NIST): Do you have a feel for when we'll have the updated daily files with vendors missing due to the TIN problem? Our procurement teams are waiting for a renewal that didn't come through as a result of this (still 'expired' since the renewal record hasn't come through in the dailies).

Response: There are a number of scenarios that could cause a delay with having a vendor complete the activation and/or validation process. You can do an FSD ticket to get this resolved.

Question: Connie Coffee-Oracle: Does UTF-8 only apply to the XML extract?

Response: The flat files are the only files that do not include special characters. UTF-8 has become the default character set for web and many programming languages and operating systems. As stewards of the entity management data, the SAM team strives to keep the character set up to industry standards.

Question:Connie Coffee-Oracle: real quick...are the issues posted on Interact?

Response: Not yet, but we will get them up there.

Page 1